Mission + Strategy = Social Value

Bridgespan Study Pronounces Nonprofit M&A a Strategic Tool for the Sector

The latest, most interesting study on the impact of nonprofit mergers was just published today, Feb. 26, 2009 by The Bridgespan Group, entitled, Nonprofit M&A: More Than A Tool for Tough Times. The report, written by Alexander Cortez, William Foster, and Katie Smith Milway, documents 3,300 merger deals that take place over eleven years in four states: Massachusetts, Florida, Arizona, and North Carolina. The study reaches several interesting conclusions, one of which is that it appears from the analysis of the M&A deals that certain nonprofit markets are more favorable to merger activity than other segments of the nonprofit sector, and gives the example of Child and Family Services. It's a great piece of work and will be very useful to organizations exploring M&A strategy for their own organizations. To download a full copy of the report, go here.

Chicago Panel on Strategic Re-Structuring Aims to Take the Stigma out of Consolidations

"Straight talk about nonprofit partnerships, mergers,and other types of strategic re-structuring" is what the ground-breaking panel discussion in Chicago promises on Feb. 27th, 9:30 to 11:30a.m at Roosevelt University. Go here to get all the information.

I have been asked to join a prestigious group of foundation and nonprofit leaders to talk about our personal experiences using strategic re-structuring techniques in order to expand nonprofit impact. The goal of the event, in part, is to remove the stigma around nonprofit mergers and partnerships and to get nonprofit leaders talking publicly about the benefits of using these strategies. This is a very important event to take place in Chicago, which has been somewhat slow to embrace strategic restructuring publicly as a legitimate means for growing social value among nonprofits. Kudos to the Donors Forum for taking the lead on starting the dialog!

This is not a how-to workshop but a discussion. If you are interested in learning more about the various types of strategic re-structuring methods and how they can be used to advance mission, then you might want to attend the introductory workshop I am leading at the Donors Forum on Mar. 24th, 9:00 - 12:00. Please go here to sign-up for that session. I am scheduling workshops in other venues throughout the year; if you can't attend the Donors Forum workshop, then send me an e-mail through my blog and I'll send you the most current dates that I have arranged.

The Feb. 27th Donors Forum discussion couldn't be more timely given that the economy is collapsing and nonprofit organizations are searching for ways to stabilize their organizations. I don't know where the dialog will go after Feb. 27th, but I can say that we are publicly discussing these strategies in Chicago.  Join us for this important conversation if you can.